I've had several quotes in the last several days and the salesmen always want to know the names and quoted prices of the previous dealers. I refused to give them the information for fear they would call the other dealers or raise their quotes based on what I tell them. Is this common practice or should I tell them what they want to know but only after they give me their quote?

+1. I have had people show me the quotes that they have gotten from other companies, while other act like the information is top secret. It is really up to your level of comfort. Ultimately your salesperson needs to inform you about the why you should purchase his/her product and provide a price quote, so the other company(s) and their pricing is irrelevant to that task. OTOH, if you trust a particular person and want his/her opinion on the other products that you are looking at for comparison purposes, then there is nothing wrong with sharing. Of course everyone will tell you that their product is "better", just be sure that they back it up with real data.

Man I've been acting as if it was a top security clearance secret All of the Salesman look at me like 'damn this guy is weird'. I do tell them I have other quotes and one salesman said that if I told her the dealer she could give the dirt on them and hence make my decision to purchase from her easier! Either way I am having a lot fun during this process and am learning so much from you guys. Thank you.

If it was me, I would tell them I have other quotes but i would not reveal prices or the companies. I would let them know the brand, model and install details but not much more.Not realy fair to the first companies that come out and one might raise or lower price knowing the competion and more than likely knowing there prices. i would make them work a little harder and reveal the bids afterwards.Or maybe tell the guys who come later you will let ones who came before there price and let them rebid. Maybe just auction it off to the lowest bidder?

Todd that's exactly what I've been doing. I tell them I have other quotes but don't tell them anything else. Once I have all the quotes I will compare all the specifics and call back the salesmen with the higher bids to see if they'll negotiate. If they refuse, it may be a bluff and I'll just wait for the 'this is my final bid' speech. Yes kind of like an auction but I also want the install to be done correctly.

I will share this with you: I do not like to be in a bidding war.
I flex very little on price I do not put that in my numbers to start high and go low.
Some who want me to do their projects because they want my expertise and quality can push really hard and then I say "if I go any lower I will have to change to cheaper materials or cut corners on the install", it usually ends there. I think honest two way comunication is great.

The customer who signs a contract with me and does not negotiate the price, we can discuss it, gets over the top service.

Don't confuse someone that drops their bid with the contractor that you are getting the best deal from.

We present our price and that is our price. We are not the cheapest but we aren't the most expensive by a mile either.

We explain the product and installation differences and where the customer is actually getting a good value for their renovation dollar. That is how we do it but some customer just want a discount to feel like they are "winning". In those cases, we try to value add for them in some other way but maintain our pricing.

well said Anthony. i myself have had to walk away from potential jobs because i could not price the job any lower. i give my best price from the start . bidding wars are for lower end contractors or public projects. it also can causes friction between a contractor and customers. mutual respect is paramount.
i dont understand why customers insist that a company revise their price much lower but at the same time doesnt expect them to cut corners and use cheaper materials. how else would the company turn a profit.

Last edited by masterext on Fri Jun 15, 2012 7:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

That is key... While you are certainly under no obligation to reveal details if you'd prefer not to, honesty and respect is a two way street. There is nothing wrong with asking if your contractor can match another's price, but going back and forth with "bidding" is not recommended, as it does not start the relationship off on a good note.

I was just kidding about auctioning the job off. I would let the others know install methods and just so bids will be on same page. Usally as a homeowner you'll probally have 1 or 2 contractors that you'd prefer do the work, I would call those back and try to negotiate. I have come down many times to match or beat others prices and sometimes I won't.

Thanks for the info guys. I wasn't trying to belittle or somehow undermine the work done by the professionals in the industry. I'm just your average Joe the plumber regular homeowner who wants to get a quality product, good reliable company that backs up their work and a great install. After using this forum primarily and other web services I think I have finally found a match. I believe I saved at least $1000 in the process.